Adorably written book. Deep subject matter told with humor and love,
Jessica is a 12 year old girl is obsessed with death (her family owns a funeral home). She is heartbroken when they decide to sell, because she believes she should have had a say. Then for some odd reason, her family up and disappears, leaving Jessica alone.

Enter Danny. He is getting his life together again after being framed for the murder of his wife. Jessica for some odd reason end’s up at Danny’s door. Danny takes young Jessica in and they slowly get to know each other while trying to figure out what happened to Jessica’s parents. Danny owns the local surf shop, Nine Lives. Dealing with this grief, he has a soft spot for Jessica and what she is going through. As Danny and Jessica work on this mystery they get involved in all sorts of shenanigans. Will they solve the mystery and will is be a happy ending? You’ll have to read it to find out!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Funeral Daze" by Dorian Box is a novel that deftly balances the scales of dark humor and poignant drama. The story picks up with protagonist Danny Teakwell, five years after the events of the prequel, "Psycho-Tropics" . This time, Danny finds himself entangled in the life of twelve-year-old Jessica Jewel, who arrives on his doorstep homeless and parentless. What unfolds is a tale of grief, resilience, and the unexpected friendships that can pull us back from the brink.

Dorian Box’s writing shines in its ability to weave together threads of mortality and mirth. The narrative is laced with a mortuary humor that might seem macabre if not for the author’s skill in delivering it with a light touch. Jessica’s precociousness provides a counterbalance to Danny’s heavy-heartedness, and their interactions are both heartwarming and hilarious. The dialogue crackles with life, bringing levity to even the most somber moments.

The book’s structure is a testament to Box’s understanding of pacing and tension. As Danny and Jessica delve into the mystery of her missing parents, the reader is taken on a journey that is as much about solving a puzzle as it is about healing from loss. The suspense is well-crafted, keeping the pages turning without overshadowing the emotional depth of the characters’ personal struggles.

Jessica, aged 7, is not happy about her parents selling the family funeral parlour and recruits Danny, a depressed surfer, to work out why everything was done in such a hurry - especially since she believes she owns part of the business. Then her parents disappear and Danny is left to look after Jessica, who is not impressed with his parenting skills. This was quite an engaging and humorous read.

It didn't surprise me for a second when I found out the author used to be a law professor, because you have to be a lawyer to create a fictional lawyer who's so unethical yet sympathetic. In this book, said attorney is fighting for his law license after breaking every rule, and his journey is just an amusing side story.
The main character is Danny, a grief stricken slacker who is enlisted to care for a young girl he befriended when she was small, but still feels a connection to. There is violence, mobsters, mystery, and a tiny bit of budding romance.
I'm seriously annoyed that, looking at this book and how long it was written after the first one, that even if I get another book with these characters it will be years. Hurry!
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Such a fun story centered around a 12 year old and her buddy trying to solve a case regarding her family’s funeral home.

This book was. a bright shining light - laughs, smiles and calamity set in sunny Florida. I have been sticking my head into so many winter mood reads, - fantasy, mystery, snowy lands and serious moral dilemma fiction. And I picked this up....because I needed something different. By 25% I was hooked on the fishing line - and by 50% I couldn't put it down. 75% of this book was finished in 24 hrs.

Our main character Danny comes across as a little dumb and a little lacking in motivation. But as the story develops the reader realizes Danny is moving through grief. And in comes Jessica, lively in the way I imagine a young Abby Sciuto (from NCIS) would be. I didn't realize I needed a young Abby in my bookish-world. But I do. And her life is about to change. She's going to lose it all. And by the end of this book I dearly loved both of these characters.

I hope there is another book...I desperately want another Danny Teakwell for this summer. To make me laugh, to make me cry, and to make me feel all the feels.

Thank you to Friction Press and NetGalley for an ARC. PS - I'm super sorry for putting this off. I never quite felt in the right mood to read it, and when I picked it up this winter....it pulled me right out of my winter reading slump. Just goes to show how important a good book is! And how sometimes the best things are where you least expect them!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
I did not realize this was book 2 in a series, because you couldn't tell. This can definitely be read as a standalone.
It was a little slow at first but the humor and characters made up for it. A great cozy mystery

Funeral Daze by Dorian Box
Danny Teakwell #2

Easily stands alone and a great story though I missed reading Psycho Tropics and the introduction to the series.

What I liked:
* Danny Teakwell: widow, grieving, surf shop owner, talented surfboard maker, good friend, helpful, kind, generous, there for those in need and Jessica is definitely in need
* Jessica Jewell: preteen, grew up in the funeral business, a bit quirky, strong, outspoken, big-hearted, good friend, stands out from the crowd, truthful, good salesperson, has a lot to deal with
* The trust that develops between Danny and Jessica as the story progresses
* The way Danny “sees” Jessica and communicates with her openly and honestly
* That I had fun reading it even though there were some heavy issues discussed
* The way Jessica and Danny helped one another
* The influence of Sari, the deceased wife of Danny, even after she is gone
* Bennie “Fink” Finkel: law school graduate, a wildcard, good friend, has quite a few issues but a major part of the story
* Erin Delonia: female surf winner who lives in California and comes by the surf shop to tell Danny she rode one of his boards to win a contest – potential love interest
* Grady Banyon, Shannon-the waitress, Detective Rodrigues, and other supporting characters
* That not all the bad guys were horrible and that not all the good guys were necessarily good
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about addiction and how it changes people
* Yago – a loose cannon and a merciless killer that enjoyed his job a bit too much

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to the NetGalley, the author, and Friction Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Book Review: Funeral Daze
Stars: 4 X 5
Author: Dorian Box
Publisher: Friction Press

The story goes like this, a 12 year old girl is obsessed with death as her family owns a funeral home. Danny, is getting his life together again after he had been framed for murder. Jessica’s parent‘s end up sailing the funeral home and then just disappear. Jessica for some odd reason end’s up at Danny’s door. Danny takes young Jessica in and they slowly get to know each other while trying to figure out what happened to Jessica’s parentS. Danny owns the local surf shop, Nine Lives. He
thinks this is the only thing he did right with his lotto winnings especially since his wife passed a few years back. Dealing with this grief is why he has a soft spot for young Jessica and what she is going through. As Danny and Jessica work on this mystery they get involved in all sorts of shenanigans. Will they solve the mystery and will is be a happy ending?

This really was sweet book with a little cozy mystery involved. The sweetness between Danny and Jessica was adorable once it started.

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This book was an interesting take on a cozy mystery.
I felt it was quite an elaborate story but one that was quite funny to read.

The characters definitely made the book, especially with the witty quips and the relationship that formed throughout the story.

I've got to be honest, when I first started reading this book, I wasn't too sure about it. It's slow start and quirky people had me shaking my head. But Jessica was just weird enough and likeable to tug at my heart strings. The only downside was that the book was very slow but the humor definitely made up for that. Would recommend

This is the second book of a series but this can be a stand alone book. The setting, characters and story was a good time.

I really struggled to get into this book. The premise was interesting, but I couldn't get past the first few chapters. I think the writing style was just not for me.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

Gorgeous setting and the cover is awesome too. The characters were so fun.

I had a rollicking good time reading this hilarious book. It was such an adventure!
Many thanks to Friction Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book of a series, but stands on its own. It is at the same time a thriller novel, a novel involving relationships and grief, a murder mystery, with some hints of legal grit, surfing, and a cast of some very quirky characters, including:
• A surfer dude widower won the lottery and lost the millions he won – except for a run-down condo and a surf shop he’s stopped running.
• A 12 year old girl who plans to run her family’s funeral home, who has been embalming since she was 7, is not well liked because of her morbid interests. She has more insight and wisdom than most adults.
• Her murdered parents and grandfather.
• The surfer dude’s attorney friend, who has been practicing law without a license for years before law school or the Bar Exam.
• An organized crime boss, with plans to use the funeral industry to save money drug running.
• A hit man, who is insubordinate to his boss, and sees murder as the only way to solve any problem
• A corrupt FBI Agent.
• A woman surfing champion.
• A bar owner.
• Many bar patrons and employees.

Although this is a thriller, which includes drug criminals, murder, kidnapping, extortion, grave robbing, burglary, treachery, much of the story is about relationships of all sorts, but hardly focusing on the romantic ones. It's about regaining interest in life after a death. It’s about friendship and family, and how friendships can become almost family-like, and family relationships can all but cease. It’s about the trustworthiness of others, heroism, and betrayal. The book has a happy ending, which will not disappoint.

The plot was complex and was difficult to put down, yet left no room for confusion about how it all linked together. It makes me want to read the prequel and await a sequel!

This bizarre, dark, heavy (but somehow still) light-hearted, and funny legal-murder mystery was positively delightful. Surfer dude Danny and 12-year old mortician-in-the-making Jessica are my new favorite buddy cop duo…even if they aren’t cops. Funeral Daze has all the outlandish storylines and humor you’d expect from Lethal Weapon or Bad Boys. It also gave me John Grisham vibes (specifically The Client). My only real knock on the book is that I didn’t realize it was the second in a series. Wish I’d read Psycho Tropics first. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

After reading the books of the Emily Calby series, I was very optimistic that I would enjoy this book and I definitely did. This author really has a way with dialogue and I loved the blend of dark humor along with the action in this book. There were so many times I laughed out loud. I very entertained by the antics of the characters, especially a character known by the name Fink. I could really imagine the scenes and how these would play out with all of the eyerolls and dirty looks. This author has really grown on me and I will have to go back and read the first book of this series now. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

So this book was both dark and hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I especially loved the character Jessica and could not get enough of her. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy.